estes



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. A. ESTES.

PLOW.

No. 487,142; Patented Nov; '29, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2; W. A. ESTES.

PLOW.

No. 487,142. PatentedNov. 29, 1892,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. A. ESTES. PLOW.

N0.- 487,142. Patent-ed Nov, 29, 1892.

(No Model.) 4Sheets-Si1eet w. A; ESTES.

PLOW.

Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM A. ESTES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

P L O W SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,142, dated November 29, 1892. Application filed November 24, 1891. Serial No. 412.909. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern 1,.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. Es'rns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county..of Suffolk, and in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plows; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the mold-board side of my plow; Fig. 2, a view in elevation of the landside; Fig. 3, a view of the plow in rear elevation with the handles broken away above the beam; Fig. 4, a de tail view, on an enlarged scale, of the moldboard with portions of the traveling belt, the supportingrollers therefor, and the plate above the belt removed to show the arrangement and construction of the different parts; Fig. 5, a view of a section on line x w of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a view, on an enlarged scale, of a longitudinal section of the rear end of the mold-board roller-frame and the roller on such end, showing the manner of providing for adjustment of the roller-bearings; Fig. 7, a detail plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the adjustable bearing for the furrow -sliceturning roller at the rear end of the roller and belt frame of the mold-board; Fig. 8, a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the antifriction device for the landside, portions of the traveling belt being removed to show the construction of the parts behind the latter; and Fig. 9, a vertical cross-section of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention has been to provide a plow which will run easier and be capable of doing its required work with a less expenditure of draft power than the plows heretofore made and used; and to this end my invention consists in the plow and in the combination and construction of the parts thereof, as hereinafter specified.

It has heretofore been attempted to make plows run easier by providing their moldboards and landsides with rollers arranged and intended to lessen the friction between the surfaces of such parts and the soil being plowed. Such rollers have been found to opcrate to much diminish said friction, but it has been very difficult, if not impossible, to keep their journals or pivots clear of clogging and cutting dirt, which interferes with the rollers rotation as they pass along in contact with the sides of the furrow and wears out said journals or pivots rapidly. The rollers have also been liable to be clogged or have their rotation interfered with by thefriction caused by dirt getting in between them or between their peripheries and adjoining portions of the frame in which they are journaled and supported.

With these objections to the rollers as heretofore used in the landsides and mold-boards of plows in view, it has been my special purpose to provide a plow having an antifriction arrangement or device for the landside or moldboard, or both, which shall not involve the exposure of any rollers to direct contact with the soil, shall be so constructed as to protect the journals of the rollers used from the access of dirt, which would interfere with their rotation or cause them to wear out, and shall present to the soil at the side of the furrow an easy-traveling unbroken surface extending continuously from end to end of that part of The mold-board or landside to which the device is applied.

In the drawings, A designates the plowbeam, and B the post or standard attached to the beam and having fastened to or supported from it in the usual way the share 0 and the vertical plate D, having its outer face forming a forward continuation of the landside, to be described. Attached to and running rear ward and outward from the mold-board side of the share 0 are the upper and lower bars D and D respectively, curved, as shown, so that a plane containing the outer edges of both of them will be shapedsubstantially like the outer face of the usual mold-board, so as to turn or roll the furrow slice up and over outward as the plow passes along the furrow. Extending between these bars are the tubular distance-pieces D D which, as shown, are three in number, but of which there can be more used, if desired. Through each of said pieces passes a bolt-rod D provided with a head on one end and a nut on the other, or with two nuts, whereby the bars can be drawn and held firmly and rigidly against the ends of the distance-piece. By this means a strong rigid frame is secured, for a purpose to be described.

On the landside straight bars EE', attached, preferably, directly to the post or standard B and extending rearward parallel with the line of travel of the plow or with the outer face of the landside of the share 0, are connected rigidly together by tubular distance-pieces E E and bolt-rods E E which are used and operate in the same manner as the similar devices employed with bars D D already described. The rear ends of the frames thus formed on the landside and mold-board sides of the plow are connected together and braced from each other by the braces F and F, the former of which, being in V shape, has its apex provided with an opening engaging the threaded rearward extension d on bar D while the ends of its arms have openings, through which passes the bolt-rod E at the rear end of the bars E E, while the latter brace runs between the two upper bars D and E, having its opposite ends bolted or otherwise firmly attached to them.

A standard H, attached at its upper and lower ends, respectively, to the beam A and the bar E, strongly supports the latter, and consequently the frame formed of bars E E, distance-pieces E E and bolt-rods E E from the beam.

In each of the frames formed on the landside and mold-board, as described above, are journaled rollers I I, each having an axial opening 2', a tubular boss or hub c" on its upper end, and a loose removable bushing 1 situated within an enlargement of or rabbet around the lower end of the axial opening. Of these rollers there are four in the frame of the mold-board and twoin the other frame on the landside; but I do not limit myself to such numbers. the mold-board frame are journaled and held in place by means of rods I I, one for each roller, passing through the axial openings and through the upper and lower frame-bars, and by the tubular bosses t" t", engagingjournal-openings i i in the upper bars D and E. There are heads on the lower ends of these rods to engage the under sides of bars D and E and nuts to engage the tops of bars D and E. Such nuts, while serving to draw and hold the rods firmly in place, can also, as indicated, be made to cover the tops of the journal-openings 2' i so that no dirt can get down into the latter around the bosses t t. The removable bushings i i serve to take the wear caused by any dirtor grit getting in under thelower ends of the rollers and around the journaling-rods I I and, being loose, they can be easily removed and replaced by new All except the rear roller of ones when worn out. They are intended to and do prevent wear upon the roller itself 'within the axial opening.

The rear roller of the frame in the moldboard is supported in movable bearings capable of being moved toward or from the other or forward end of the frame, for a purpose to be described. A rod I, like those already described, is used for this roller; but, unlike such other rods, it passes through longitudinal slots 1 1: in the upper and lower bars D and D and openings in the longitudinally-movable plates K K on the upper and lower sides, respectively, of such bars, so as to be carried with such plates, as they are moved. The slot in the upper bar D is made wide enough to embrace the boss t" on the upper end of the roller. The lower plate has a narrow longitudinal slot to embrace the boltrod D of the nearest distance-piece D the projecting lower end of such rod being threaded and provided with the nut 01, whereby the plate K can be forced and firmly clamped against the under side of bar D so as to preventits movement when ithasbeen adjusted to bring the roller end into its desired position. A somewhat-different provision is made for the fastening of the upper adjustable plate K. On top of the latter is the plate or bar L, forming part of the rearwardly-extending arm L, which is for a purpose to be described. The upper end of the adjoining distancepiece bolt-rod D projecting up through the longitudinal slot is in the said plate.-K adTco through an opening Zin the plate or'bar L, is threaded and has a nut Z, whereby the latter can be forced down to clamp the plate K securely between it and the top of bar D. The upper end of theroller-supportingrod I projects up through a longitudinal slot in plate or bar L and has its extremity threaded and provided with a nut e to be screwed down upon plate or bar L.

With the construction described the boltrod D and the roller-rod I, with their nuts, are utilized to secure not only the firm hold ing of the adjustable plates K K, but also the fastening or attachment of the arm L. Around the rollers of each frame is passed an endless belt M, preferably of rubber, but, if desired, of leather or other strong flexible material, adapted, as supported by the rollers, to present an easy-traveling surface to be engaged by the soil at the furrow sides. It is of such width as to cover the rollers entirely, so as to prevent the soil from coming in contact with the latter.

In order to keep any dirt or dust which might get past the edges of the belt from getting in between the roller ends and the frame bars and around the bearings, Iprovide each frame with certain guard devices, for the accommodation of which the rollers are for a certain distance from their ends slightly reduced in size or made with a rabbet 4?. Of such devices the one for the lower ends of the rollers ITO consists of a strip of sheet metal having the horizontal attaching part M, screwed or otherwise fastened to the frame-bar D or E, and the upright part M extending longitudinally along the series of rollers in contact with the outer sides of their reduced or rabbeted portions.

The guard M for the upper ends of the rollers of the mold-board consists of a plain strip of metal attached to the outer side of the upper frame-bar D, while that for the corresponding ends of the rollers of the landside consists, as shown, (see Fig. 9,) of a strip of metal M screwed or otherwise attached to the outer side of the bar E and projecting down therefrom behind the belt, its ends being bent inward to clear the belt-edge. A plate N, extending upward and inward from the upper bar D of the frame for the moldboard rollers,has its lower edge bolted to said bar. For the sake of convenience and economy in fastening devices the bolts n n for thus securing the plate are made to serve in fastening the guard M the latter having its attaching part inserted between the plate and bar D. perforated to admit the passage of the bolts.

Upon the extension d on the rear end of the bar D is the sleeve or hub O, situated between the brace F and the end of the bar and having attached to it the upwardly-extending rod 0, which is threaded at its upper end. Upon said rod is the conical roller P, arranged with its larger end upward. Its upper end has within a recess or rabbet 10 around its axial opening a removable bushing p, which projects up into and is journaled in the openingp in the plate or bar P, whose shank is movably held and guided upon the arm L, already hereinbefore described, by the cleat or loop L Said plate or bar P then forms an adjustable bearing for the upper end of the roller, adapted to change the angle of inclination of the latter, so that it will project farther beyond or be nearer to the plane of the rear end of the mold-board, and will consequently turn the furrow-slice over to a greater or less degree or leave it standing. The rotary sleeve or hub O on extension 61 is adapted to permit the required swinging of the rod 0' for this change of angle of the roller.

To fix the adjustable bearing-plate at any desired adjustment, I provide it with a series of holes 19 p and make a hole 19 in both the cleat L and the arm L, into line with which any one of the holes 19 can be brought by longitudinal movement of the plate or bar P. A pin 10* can then be passed through the latter and the arm and cleat, so as to hold the bar from further movement. The nut d on the threaded part of the extension serves to hold both the brace F and the hub in place on the extension, and when tightened up can be made to cause a firm clamping of the hub 0 against the end of the frame-bar D Between the rear ends of the landside and mold-board is the wheel R for supporting the rear portion of the plow and regulating the plows inclination with reference to its forward travel. As shown, such wheel is adjustably connected with the plow-frame by an upwardly-extending stem R on the fork R within which the wheel is journaled. This stem is longitudinally slotted at r to admit the passage of a bolt R on the standard H, hereinbefore described, and has its upper end held against the side of the beam A by a cleat R adapted to keep that portion of the stem from any movement but a vertical one. The bolt R is provided with the nut 4", overlapping the sides of slot r, whereby the wheelfork stern can be clamped against the standard, so that it will be fixed securely at any desired point of adjustment.

The operation of my plow, constructed and arranged as shown and described, is briefly as follows: As the plow is being used and is forced or drawn forward to make a furrow, the soil coming in contact with the belts of the mold-board and landside carries them rearward along the plow. Said belts, being supported, as shown and described, by the rollers journaled in the landside and moldboard roller-frames, move easily, the only power required to secure such movement being that necessary to rotate the rollers which are covered by the belts, so that the soil does not come into contact with their peripheries. As thus protected and with their bearings secured from access of dirt or dust by the guard devices described, said rollers will always rotate freely and will not tend to become clogged or be subjected to friction interfering with their rotation, as do the exposed rollers used heretofore in the landsides and mold-boards ot plows. With the belts supported so as to be capable of being easily moved to carry their outer portions rearward with reference to the plow-body there is little or no pulling strain upon them and no moving of the soil past their faces, such as would produce an injurious friction upon their surfaces to wear them out. When made of rubbei or leather, said belts will wear indefinitely without giving out.

If the belt of the moldboard should become loose or stretched, it can be tightened up again easily by simply adjusting the rear one of the rollers I farther to the rear of its supporting-frame. This can be easily and readily accomplished by loosening the nuts by which the slotted plates carrying the ends of the roller-supporting rod 1 are clamped against the frame-bars D and D forcing said plates longitudinally outward the required amount and then tightening up the nuts again.

The guards M, M M and M while acting to prevent any dirt or grit which may pass the edges of the belts from getting in between the roller ends and the frame-bars in which they are journaled, are by the rabbets in the roller ends allowed to stand back of the plane of the peripheries of the rollerbodies a sufficient distance to bring their outer sides back of the planes of the inner faces of the belts.

The furrow-slice-turning roller beyond the rear end of the mold-board frame can be adbelt a greater or less amount by simply removing the pin 19 from the holes in the plate or bar P, the cleat L and arm L, sliding said plate or bar out or in to bring another of its holes 19 19 into line with the cleat and bar holes, and then inserting the pin again.

The manner of adjusting the wheel Rwill be fully understood from the description given hereinbefore.

By actual practice I have found that by providing the mold-board and landside of a plow with a continuous easily-traveling surface, such as is afforded by the roller-supported belts, I have been able to produce a plow which runs far easier and does its work better than those heretofore used with their mold-boards and landsides made in the ordinary plate form or provided with rollers exposed to the soil of the furrow.

The belts used do not tend to load, as the old metal plates and rollers would, especially if the soil is moist, but easily clear themselves as they run around the rear rollers of the landside and mold-board frames. The sudden bending of the belts around such rollers is obviously well adapted to free the belt-surface of any dirt tending to adhere to it.

The most desirable object aimed at and secured by me in using my belt arrangement of mold-board and landside outer surfaces has, however, been to prevent and do away with the great retarding and wearing friction of the soil existing where the old plate form of landsides and mold-boards are used and at the same time to avoid the unevenness of soil-engaging surface and tendency to clog and wear out which have been found to be necessarily existent where rollers exposed to direct contect with the soil being plowed are used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A plow having both its landside and mold-board provided with traveling endless belts running over supporting-rollers and adapted to engage the sides of the furrow and keep the rollers out of contact therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a plow, in combination with the upright rollers on the landside, an endless belt traveling over and supported by the rollers, so as to present a vertical traveling surface to engage the landside of the furrow squarely and support the plow therefrom against the side pressure caused by the engagement of the mold-board with the furrow-slice, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. In the landside of a plow, in combination with the rollers having their end portions rabbeted or reduced in size, the furrow-sideengaging belt running over and covering the outer sides of the rollers, and guards situated behind the belt and extending into the rabbets in the rollers, substantially as and for .the purpose set forth. justed to turn said slice as it comes from the 4. In a plow, a traveling surface for engaging the side of the furrow, consisting of an endless traveling belt of rubber running over and supported by rollers which it covers and keeps out of contact with the furrow side, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a plow,the mold-board havingatravcling belt to alford a traveling surface to engage the furrow-slice, in combination with the two end rollers over which the belt passes and a series of rollers between such end ones journaled in the frame of the mold-board and engaging the inner side of the outer portion of the belt, so as to support the same, substantially as specified.

6. In the mold-board of a plow, in combination with the traveling belt, the supporting-rollers'therefor, having their end portions rabbeted or reduced in size, the guards extending along the outer side of the series of rollers between the inner face of the belt and the reduced portions of the rollers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In the mold-board of a plow, in combination with the upper and lower frame-bars and the rollers journaled thereon, having their end. portions rabbeted or reduced in size, the dust-guards attached to the frame-bars and extending along the outer sides of the reduced portions of the rollers within or below the plane of the peripheries of the main parts of the rollers and the traveling belt arranged to engage the furrow-slice, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with the upper and lower frame-bars having their rear portions slotted longitudinally, the roller, the supporting-rod therefor, passing through it and the slots in the upper and lower frame-bars, the slotted plates on the upper and lower sides of such bars, respectively supporting the ends of the roller-rod, and the bolt-rod passing through the frame-bars and the slots in said plates and provided with plate-engaging nuts, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In combination with the lower frame-bar, the mold-board having the extension at its rear end, the sleeve journaled thereon, having the upwardly-extending rod, the roller on the latter having its upper end provided with a loose bushing extending up around the rod beyond the roller end, the adjustable plate having an opening engaging such bushing, and a nut on the rod above such plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. In a plow, in combination with the supporting-roller, the fork in which it is journaled, having an upwardly-extending slotted stem, a guide-(sleet on the plow-beam engagingand guiding the upper end of the stem, a downwardly-extending standard on the beam, a bolt on such standard engaging the slot in the fork-stem, and a 11111: on the same to force and clamp the stem against the standard, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d. day of November, A. D. 1891.

' WILLIAM A. ESTES.

Witnesses:

M. M. ROHRER, HENRY O. HAZARD. 

